CAPE TOWN - This year's Investing in African Mining indaba to be held in Cape Town next week will explore how the industry can be further supported to help drive investment, while gender diversity and a greater focus on junior miners will form part of the programme, organisers said on Thursday.

"Our main theme for 2019 is championing Africa’s sustainable economic growth. The theme will explore how we can support the industry and how we can drive investment," the organisers said in a statement.

"We will also be looking at driving gender diversity by increasing the number of female speakers at the conference. There will be a big focus on junior miners."

Organisers said the 2018 indaba saw a 7 percent increase in attendance by junior miners, with 50 junior miners exhibiting on the show floor.

"We would like to give investors more opportunities to meet junior mining companies."

The conference floor set-up has been changed to help facilitate engagement and deal-making between investors and junior miners.

The Investing in African Mining Indaba, taking place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 4-7 February, will see approximately 7,000 delegates from across the globe.

The event which will be celebrating 25 years of progress in African Mining, is a forum aimed at building and maintaining cross-continental business relationships in the mining sector. The event is regarded as the world’s largest gathering of the most influential stakeholders in the African mining industry. These range from financiers, investors, and mining professionals to government officials.

“ We would like to give investors more opportunities to meet junior mining companies and have moved the VIP Investor Lounge to be together with the Junior Mining Showcase inside the Investment Pavilion to facilitate engagement and deal-making between the two key sectors,” the organisers said.